Lexington, KY - Casanova, located in the South Broadway building that formerly housed the iconic Lexington eatery The Coach House, made a relatively quiet entrance to the local restaurant scene when it opened, which is a shame, because the establishment has really set itself apart from the throngs of upscale continental and innovative southern cuisine so common in central Lexington's fine dining establishments.
With four variations of lasagna, a handful of risotto options and other classic Italian dishes such as Cioppino, Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Veal Parmigiana, the menu is as unadulterated Italian cuisine as you'll find in Lexington. The restaurant now features 14-inch pizzas, though they are not yet listed on the menu. To start with, my guest and I ordered the Antipasti Misto ($13), a no-frills appetizer plate featuring thin slices of prosciutto and salami, and two variations of cheese (sheep and goat, our server told us), kalamata olives and two grilled baguette slices topped with a delicious olive tapenade. The presentation reflected the entire Casanova experience: simple, classic and, first and foremost, food-focused. Other appetizers that caught our attention included Melenzane alla Parmigiana (roasted eggplants rolled around mozzarella and topped with marinara and Parmigiano, $9), Cozze al vino Bianco (a dozen of Prince Edwards Island mussels sautÈed in garlic butter wine sauce, $10) and Gamberi All'Inferno (sautÈed shrimp in a spicy fresh tomato sauce, barrel aged vinegar and fresh herbs with grilled bruschetta bread, $11)
For the main course, I couldn't resist the Veal Ossumbucco ($24), described on the menu as a tender veal shank with topped with gremolada vellute (a lemon/garlic/herb sauce) over a four-cheese risotto. My guest wanted lasagna, but couldn't decide between the four options (veggie, mushroom and spinach, bolognese, and five-cheese, each $19); per the server's recommendation, he chose the veggie. Though I'm big on veggies, I tend to be wary of vegetable lasagna - it can be difficult to pull off without the dish being dry or seeming to be missing something, in my experience. This was a clear exception. With roasted zucchini, tomatoes and yellow peppers layered with fresh mozzarella, and homemade marinara drizzled on the plate, the dish was perfectly balanced and, as my guest commented, you could really taste the full flavor of each vegetable used. My veal was, as promised, perfectly tender, and while the risotto was almost too cheesy for my taste, it was quite the succulent meal, and the Italian wine we ordered by the glass (we tried three varieties between the two of us) was lovely and complemented the meals nicely. The portions were more than adequate; both of us requested takeout boxes (a rarity for this particular guest of mine) and couldn't bring ourselves to order dessert (a rarity for this writer).
Our server was knowledgeable about each question we asked her (and we asked quite a few); she was also friendly, and took special care not to allow us to feel rushed, even though it was obvious that we were the only table standing between her being at work and going home. Our total, which included three glasses of wine and two cocktails, came to $92 before tax and tip -
slightly less than we would typically spend at one of our regular fine-dining stops with two courses and as many drinks. Casanova seems to be the best fit in this space for quite some time, and here's to hoping it is there to stay.